Is the battery charged while the engine is idling?
Despite the fact that the structure of the car and the principle of operation of certain units are studied in detail in a driving school, many drivers are interested in questions that can only be answered in the affirmative. One such question is, does the battery charge when the engine is idling? The answer will be clear - charging. However, if you delve a little into the technical side of the issue, you can find a lot of features.
Idling and the principle of operation of the generator
Idling - this is the name of a special mode of engine operation, during which the crankshaft and all related components work, but the moment of movement is not transmitted to the wheels. That is, the car is stationary. Idling is necessary to warm up the engine and all other systems. In addition, it can also be used to recharge the battery, which consumes a lot of energy to start the engine.
On our vodi.su portal, we paid a lot of attention to the elements of the car's electrical equipment, including the generator and battery, so we will not dwell on their description once again. The main tasks of the battery are hidden in its name - the accumulation (accumulation) of an electric charge and ensuring the operation of some of the consumers when the car is stationary - an anti-theft alarm, an electronic control unit, heated seats or rear windows, and so on.
The main tasks that the generator performs:
- converting the rotational energy of the crankshaft into electricity;
- charging a car battery while idling or driving a vehicle;
- consumer power supply - ignition system, cigarette lighter, diagnostic systems, ECU, etc.
Electricity in the generator is generated regardless of whether the car is moving or standing still. Structurally, the generator pulley is connected by a belt drive to the crankshaft. Accordingly, as soon as the crankshaft starts to spin, the moment of movement through the belt is transferred to the generator armature and electrical energy is generated.
Charging the battery at idle
Thanks to the voltage regulator, the voltage at the generator terminals is maintained at a constant level, which is indicated in the instructions for the device and on the label. As a rule, this is 14 volts. If the generator is in a faulty condition and the voltage regulator fails, the voltage produced by the generator can change significantly - decrease or increase. If it is too low, the battery will not be able to charge. If it exceeds the permissible limit, then the electrolyte will begin to boil even at idle. There is also a high risk of failure of fuses, complex electronics and all consumers connected to the automotive circuit.
In addition to the voltage supplied by the generator, the current strength is also important. And it directly depends on the speed of rotation of the crankshaft. For a particular model, the peak current is issued at the maximum rotation speed - 2500-5000 rpm. The speed of rotation of the crankshaft at idle is from 800 to 2000 rpm. Accordingly, the current strength will be lower by 25-50 percent.
From here we come to the conclusion that if your task is to recharge the battery at idle, it is necessary to turn off consumers of electricity that are not currently needed so that charging occurs faster. For each generator model, there are detailed tables with parameters such as fine speed characteristic of automotive alternator (TLC). TLC is taken on special stands and according to statistics, the current in amperes at idle for most models is 50% of the nominal value at peak loads. This value should be quite enough to ensure the operation of the vital systems of the car and recharge the battery.
Conclusions
From all of the above, we conclude that even at idle, the battery is charging. However, this is possible provided that all elements of the electrical network are working normally, there is no current leakage, the battery and generator are in good condition. In addition, ideally, the system is designed in such a way that part of the current from the generator goes to the battery to compensate for the amperes spent on the starting current.
As soon as the battery is charged to the desired level, the relay-regulator is activated, which turns off the current supply to the starter battery. If, for some reason, charging does not occur, the battery starts to discharge quickly or, conversely, the electrolyte boils away, it is necessary to diagnose the entire system for the serviceability of the components, for the presence of a short circuit in the windings or current leaks.
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